I was wondering what is the right tire pressure to use on my 2006 v70? i have the 17 inch tires and there are 2 different ratings...either 32psi on the fronts and 30 on the back or 36 all around? what do you think? right now i have the 32/30...let me know.thanks
fabs

 

What ever floats your boat. I'm interested in best mileage others comfort. You didn't even say. I run at max. Your call.

Jerry

 

I run 39 all around. 235/45/17 tires. Sacrifice a little comfort for better fuel economy.

 

hi gang...gas milage is a consideration over comfort, but in our province ,we have the worst roads imaginable...pot-holes the size of stadiums! so i think i'll go more for comfort and ease on the suspension as well..
thanks
fabs

 

Michigan here, starts with the same letter as Moon, and the road surfaces are about equivalent. With 17" low profile sidewalls, I go with the lower pressures unless I'm taking a long freeway trip (where the road surfaces are better) and fuel economy is a factor. Then, and only then, do I go with the higher recommended pressure. Tires, though not cheap, are cheaper than suspension components and wheels. And given equivalent driving, the difference in gas mileage hasn't been enough to worry about. Its a Volvo, not a Porsche 911 where tire pressures make wild differences in handling.

 

When the suspension is designed, the tires are factored into the equation as a suspension component. Pressure, sidewall flex etc are all taken into consideration. If the vehicle is loaded or you are going down smooth roads, then the higher pressure is advisable and works without tearing up the suspension. Living in Michigan, like Malaka and I do, the lower pressure is the route to take. It's a hoot to see guys by the side of the road with a flat on their 20" rims with a super low profile tire that the sidewall is destroyed from a relatively minor pothole or crack. They also wonder why their suspension is shot at 10k miles and the car handles poorly.

Dave
________
LovelyWendie99

 

ddrewyor, interesting comments. I'm hardly an expert on tires, but with a lower pressure wouldn't there be a greater probability to pinch the tire to the rim with lower pressures? I agree the higher pressures to reduce that would be a tradeoff on wear absorbed by the rest of the suspension components. Damn the answer is never easy or straight forward.

Chef, it looks like a combination of ride comfort, the protection of pinching a tire to a rim, wear on the suspension and fuel economy. Damn I'm glad I'm not writing the math equasion for that formula! I don't think there is any "perfect" answer, just your priorities.

Jerry

 

Check -- a stiff sidewall is a poor shock absorber. At the lower recommended pressures, you don't have an underinflated tire which would cause the problem you pose. Ddrewyor sees what I see -- blowouts on "rides", especially those with 20"+ rims on SUV's. I suspect many of them are actually bent rims which won't hold air after they get into a disagreement with an infamous Michigan pothole. And in winter with wet, possibly slippery roads, and roads coated in road salt dust, I'm not looking for that last 10% of handling that higher pressures can give me. Fenders are expensive, too.

You're right about there being no simple right answer. But one fact of life is that tires are cheaper than wheels and suspension components, links, etc.

That's why I'm considering 16" wheels for dedicated snow tires -- the road surfaces get worse with freeze/thaw cycles and the road authorities essentially give up with real fixes until Spring. More sidewall = better shock absorbing capabilities.

 

Malaka....BTW like the name...hahah I'm glad to see i'm not the only one dealing with greedy politicians that instead of fixing the roads properly the FIRST TIME AROUND, we're stuck with cratters on the roads..and of course the 10 tonnes of salt in winter...
I will be keeping the pressure to the lower side...and i will be getting winter tires...i'm looking at toyo garets or the famous nokian hakka 5 (non studded)....i'm kinda interested in studs but they're noisier and i'm a little worried as i do lots of highway driving....so i'll stick to the non studded ones...any other winter tires to consider? i also had yoko iceguards on my 850 last winter and handled well..
thanks
fabs

 

My late partner was a Greek guy, so I quickly learned what my "nic" meant....... funny how you always learn "those" words first in any foreign language.

I'm sort of debating the famous Dirty Harry question: "Do I feel lucky? Well do you, punk?" Deep snow isn't the major problem here in SE Michigan usually in most winters; slush and wrecked road surfaces are. If I go with dedicated snows, I'll probably also go with 16" rims as 17" snows get a bit expensive so the net difference is prices isn't as bad as it seems, I avoid changeover hassles, and I gain a little pothole protection with a taller sidewall.

On the other hand, I suspect my dear wife will reclaim her Pilot if the snow is deep; and I'll be able to drive away-at-college daughter's CRV (my old 175K+ miles ride) both of which are 4WD which more than solves the Michigan problems. So I might go with 17" all season tires to replace the original equipment, too close to worn out Pirellis with new all season tires. Further north, I'd go with the snows without hesitation. I'm shopping on line at Discount Tire and Tire Rack now which have many user reviews if you can sort through geography and vehicle differences. (I.e., I'm not much concerned how a set of snows works in flatland Nebraska on a Mustang GT).

Don't go with studs unless you go ice fishing with the car -- they are illegal many places and if you've ever had a flat tire on a studded tire, you'll think you're driving in Bagdhad or someplace where they're firing a machine gun at you. Bodywork doesn't like flying studs, either. And they are a detriment on non-iced paved roads.

Don't know what "lots" of highway driving is, but dedicated snow tires don't even have government treadwear numbers on them. Don't expect 30K miles on a set driven on dry highways at highway speeds. You trade traction for treadwear as the rubber is soft and grippy at colder temps. Think sponge rubber, for instance.

 

My 850 came with 15's.. Volvo recomends 32psi. When I upgraded to 17 inch Volans, the tire store recomended I run 38psi on my Yokahamas.

 

Consumer Report just arrived. Tested tiresEnclave vs. Volvo XC90 in 215/60 size on a Malibu.

Winter: Michelin X ice XI 2, General Altimax Artic and Nokian Hakka 5.

V rated AS: Michelin Pilot Exalto, Firestone GT, B( ridgestone Turanza Serentiy (fair/poor in snow, however).